UNC School of Medicine
UNC School of Medicine’s Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases (IGHID) leads critical public health research across the globe. One of their most prominent trial locations is in Malawi, where they conduct high-volume clinical research in rural and low-resource settings. These studies are essential for advancing care in infectious diseases and community health—often involving thousands of participants across multiple trial sites.
The Challenges
At the Malawi worksite, UNC-IGHID faced a persistent issue with patient identity management. A large percentage of the local population lacks government-issued identification, such as a passport or driver’s license. This gap in identity verification led to:
Clinical Trial Frauds
Unintentional or fraudulent duplicate patient entries
Redundant payouts
Redundant compensation payouts to the same individuals
Corrupted clinical datasets
undermining research accuracy
Administrative burden
Increased administrative burden and operational costs
Non-Compliance
A heightened risk of non-compliance with global research standards
The Solution
The field teams needed a secure and reliable method of uniquely identifying participants, one that aligned with existing workflows and worked in challenging on-ground conditions. SATVA partnered with UNC-School of Medicine to design and implement a custom biometric screening platform built specifically for clinical trials in resource-constrained environments.
Fingerprint Over Forms
Satva developed a field-optimized platform that uses fingerprint-based biometric screening to uniquely identify each participant—no government ID required.
Health Passport
Seamlessly integrated with Malawi’s health passport system, the platform supports continuity with existing clinical documentation practices.
Smart Workflows, Safer Data
Features like a unique PID per study, mandatory fields, and role-based access ensure accurate, compliant data entry. Archived records can be easily restored, supporting data lifecycle integrity.
Designed for the Field
Built with local constraints in mind—low bandwidth, real-time use, and simplified admin control—the platform empowers screening officers and admins alike.
Testimonial
Just Amazing, you have no idea how much time and money this just saved us!
The Result
Since launch, the biometric registration system has delivered measurable impact. Duplicate registrations have dropped by over 99%, virtually eliminating fraudulent repeat patient enrollments and double payouts. The platform now supports accurate registration and visit tracking for clinical trials across 15–20 sites in Malawi, streamlining over 100,000 patient visits annually. Field staff have significantly reduced manual data entry efforts, and trial administrators now work with clean, compliant, and audit-ready datasets. The solution is not only improving operational efficiency but also enabling UNC-IGHID to uphold the scientific integrity and financial sustainability of its global research programs.